PEP Programme Lead Officer in Portsmouth

The Portsmouth Education Partnership is looking for a highly organised and proactive Programme Lead to coordinate and support the effective operation of the Partnership, its Strategic Board and its wider programme of activity. You will play an important role in supporting initiatives that improve inclusion, educational attainment and opportunities for children and young people across Portsmouth, including the city’s most vulnerable learners.

The Portsmouth Education Partnership (PEP) was launched in November 2016. It aims to bring together Multi Academy Trusts, individual schools and academies, colleges, early years settings and a range of key partners in order to collectively drive improved attainment and opportunity for all children and young people across the city. The Partnership is led by a Strategic Board which meets every term providing strategic oversight.

The Role

Reporting to the School Improvement Adviser and working closely with the PEP Independent Chair and senior colleagues across Education, you will provide programme, administrative and coordination support across a range of priorities. You will work with schools, academies, Multi-Academy Trusts, colleges, council services and external partners, using programme management techniques to ensure milestones and deliverables are achieved on time.

You will maintain the overarching PEP programme plan, monitor actions, timescales, risks and budgets, and produce progress reports and action plans. You will coordinate senior-level meetings, prepare papers, record accurate actions and oversee diaries for training events, activities and meetings.

You will act as a key point of contact for PEP programmes and external stakeholders, building strong relationships across the city and helping colleagues resolve issues or elevate them when appropriate. You will also support PEP communications, including the weekly bulletin and website, and help organise training courses, conferences, transition events, Subject Leader Network meetings and other partnership activities.

The role will also involve monitoring externally funded programmes, tracking financial information, producing reports and presentations, maintaining programme and strategy documents, and coordinating information-sharing arrangements at key educational transition points.

The ideal candidate

You will be educated to NVQ Level 3 or have equivalent relevant experience, with a strong background in higher-level administration or programme support. You will have excellent organisational and time-management skills and be able to manage competing priorities, work accurately under pressure and meet deadlines. You will be a clear and confident communicator who can build effective relationships with school leaders and partners across education, health and social care.

You will have experience of coordinating meetings, preparing high-quality written information and recording accurate notes and actions. You will be comfortable working in complex, changing and multi-agency environments and will bring a logical, flexible and solution-focused approach to your work. Excellent literacy, numeracy and IT skills are essential, together with a good working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Access, PowerPoint and Outlook. You will also need a strong attention to detail, an understanding of data protection and safeguarding, and a willingness to travel to meetings across the city.

Experience of stakeholder engagement within education, an understanding of school culture, senior or Board-level administration, and the use of recognised programme management or quality assurance techniques would be advantageous.

Additional information

Working Arrangements: You will be required to work at least 2 days a week in the office or in education settings.

Contact Details for an Informal Discussion: If you have any questions, or would like an informal discussion about the role, please contact Sarah Christopher - sarah.christopher@portsmouthcc.gov.uk.

Interviews will be held between 15th & 19th October 2026.

About Portsmouth City Council

Portsmouth City Council is a unique organisation, committed to making a difference, and is guided by core values that set who we are as people, what we stand for, and how we act. We are committed to our values of respect, integrity, collaboration, inclusivity and being people-focussed. These values set out how we can contribute to the success of the council and our own success as individuals.

We are a disability confident employer and Armed Forces Covenant gold standard. More information can be found at Equality, diversity and inclusion - Careers portal.

We are committed to offering an interview to all those candidates that qualify under our corporate commitments and meet the minimum criteria, however, for roles that receive a large number of applications, we will select the candidates that best meet the minimum criteria. You will need to demonstrate that you have the Right to Work in the UK. No post will be offered without it.

Please note: We are not able to offer sponsorship for this position.

Safeguarding

Portsmouth City Council is committed to safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and young people, and expects all staff and volunteers to share this commitment. Every post is subject to PCC and Portsmouth Safeguarding Children Partnership safer recruitment procedures. Disclosure and Barring Service (DBS) at Standard/Enhanced level will be required prior to any offer of employment and this post is exempt from the Rehabilitation of Offenders Act 1974.